St Benedict Week events at Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore Abbey is hosting a number special events from July 11 to July 19 to celebrate St. Benedict Week.

Saturday, July 11: 

Mass for the Feast Day of St. Benedict will include the blessing of St. Benedict medals.

Sunday, July 12, 4PM: 

Brother Colmán Ó Clabaigh, a medievalist from Glenstal Abbey speaks on Women in the Wall: The Anchorites and Recluses of Medieval Ireland.” Register to attend this presentation at Eventbrite.

Monday, July 13: Oblate Day:

• Enquiry sessions at 11:00 and 3:00 for people interested in exploring the vocation of being a Benedictine Oblate.  More information about this here.
• Mass at 12:15 will welcome a new Oblate into the community.

Wednesday, July 15

USA-based Metropolitan Flute Orchestra performs in Ostyn Hall at 3:00 PM.

Talk by the The Knights of Saint Michael the Archangel

The Holy Family Prayer Group in Moycullen are hosing a talk by the The Knights of Saint Michael the Archangel.

Attendees will receive a St Michael sword, the opportunity to become a Knights of Saint Michael the Archangel, and a blessing with the relics of St John Paul II and St Faustina.

Date:  Sunday 12 July 2026

2pm - talk about Saint Michael the Archangel

3pm - Divine Mercy Chaplet and talk about St Faustina

5pm  - Mass celebrated by Fr Martin Whelan

Venue:   Moycullen - H91F38E

Contact:   Don  phone 085 724 7188

Reek Sunday pilgrimage, 2006

The annual national pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick (known as "Reek Sunday")  is on  Sunday 26 July 2026.

Mass will be celebrated at the summit hourly between 8am and 2pm.

Confessions will be available between 7:30am and 2pm.

See Westport parish's website for more details.

Book launch: Challenge Courage and Call

The book Challenge Courage and Call:  The Word of God and Priestly Ministry by Archbishop Emeritus Michael Neary is being launched.

Host:  Archbishop Francis Duffy, Tuam / Killala

Date:  Saturday 11 July,  11:30am

Venue:  Knock Bookshop

The book can be ordered from ACN Church Resources

Logos scripture summer school, 2026

Logos scripture summer school is a four-day intensive study opportunity presented by Dominican friar and scripture scholar, Fr Terence Crotty OP.

It aims to give students the opportunity to "learn about the stories of genius found in the Bible, to savour the brilliance of both God and the human authors and so to understand and love the Scripture all the more."

Date:    

Course 1:   Friday 3  - Tuesday 7 July, 2026.    Old Testament Heros

Course 2:   Friday 17 - Tuesday 21 July 2026.   St John the Evangelist 

Location:   Our Lady of Silence Cistercian Abbey, Roscrea, Co Tipperary

Cost:     Enquire at enrolment

Presented by Fr Terence Crotty OP this is an opportunity over four intensive days to learn about the stories of genius found in the Bible, to savour the brilliance of both God and the human authors and so to understand and love the Scripture all the more.

Forming the Catholic Imagination - retreat for university students

An An Intellectual Retreat for current university students is being organised by the Thomistic Institute in Ireland.

Date:    12-noon on July 18 to 1:30pm on July 20, 2026 

Venue:  Glencomeragh House Retreat Centre,  Clonmel, Co. Tipperary E91H584

Cost:     Meals and housing will be free for accepted applicants. 

              Limited travel scholarships are available upon request.

The programme will include talks with theologians and scholars, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, attend Mass, personal prayer, and meals and times of fraternity with the Dominican friars and other students.

Speakers:    

• Fr Stephen Fields SJ
• Fr. Chris Vincent Gault OP,    
• Fr. Alan O’ Sullivan OP
• Fr. Irenaeus Dunlevy, OP

Apply to attend on their website.

Youth 2000 Summer Festival

The Youth 2000 Ireland Summer Festival is being held at Dominican College, Newbridge, Co Kildare.

Date:  13th to 16th August!

For:  Young people ages 16-35

Cost:  Donation only, and free buses are available from various locations   (Galway pickup is Oranmore Town Centre, or Oranmore Railway Station)
Suggested donation is €80, but we ask attendees to only give what they can afford. People who are in a position to donate to cover the cost for those who cannot will make a huge difference for the young people who could not otherwise attend.

The programme includes  "great activities each day as well as excellent speakers, inspiring talks and fantastic workshops ... lots of time for prayer and time to chill out, meet new people and experience the best of what it means to be young and Catholic today"

This is a live-in event:  you need to take a sleeping bag as well as the usual necessities for an overnight.

Attendees must register in advance on their website - and show an original photo ID when you arrive.

Patristic Summer School with icon painting

A patristic summer school, with icon painting is being organised by the St Ephrem Academic Centre for Oriental and Occidental Studies (STEP)  in co-operation with  ITI Catholic University,  Trumau (Austria).

Date:   6-11 July 2026

Venue:   Newman Insittue, Ballina, Co Mayo

Fee: €100 for the morning sessions only

Leaders: Pd. Dr. Fr. Ephram G. Lomidze and Prof. Dr. Michaela C. Hastetter.

The programme incudes readings from the the church-fathers in the morning, and icon painting in the afternoon.

Registrations by email to     info@step_wien.au

Fr Bill retreat in Bundoran, Sept 2026

A 5-day silent faith-renewal and healing Fr Bill Retreat, given by Fr Anthony Saji VC,  is being held:

Date:  Mon 28 Sept to Friday 2 October 2026

Venue:   Allingham Arms Hotel, Bundoran, Co Donegal.

People of all ages, and from all walks of life are invited.  Priests and religious are warmly welcomed.

For more information, call

• Róisín +353 (0)86 893 7399, or
• Maeve +353 (0) 866 6199

Franciscan pilgrimage to Knock, June 2028

The Secular Franciscan Order (Third Order) are organising a pilgrimage to Knock to mark the 800-year anniversary of St Francis (1226- 2026).

Date:  Saturday 28 June 2026

Cost:  €20

Book:  The Abbey, St Francis Street.

Beginner theology course - "Credenda"

The  Irish Dominican are running a course for beginners in the study of Theology for people who want to learn more about their Catholic faith.

Dates:  September 2026 to May 2027.

The course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the foundations of the Catholic faith. 

No previous knowledge of theology or philosophy required, and there are no exams and no essays.

People taking part need to do one hour of personal study each week, and attend a 90 minute tutorial session. 

There are 24 tutorials from September to May.  Sixteen are Zoom.  Eight are person (in  Cork, Galway, Sligo or Dublin - and will be held on Saturdays, two sessions per day.

Subject in the course include:

• The Existence of God. 
• The Structure of Human Nature. 
• Habit and Virtue. 
• The Person of Jesus Christ. 
• The Person of the Holy Spirit. 
• The Sacraments. 
• Personal Prayer. 
• Witnessing to Christ.

Cost is €190 for the year (Sept to May).

For details and to enroll, see https://dominicans.ie/credenda/

Grandparents Pilgrimage 2026

The National Catholic Grandparents’ Association are holding their annual pilgrimage to Knock, to celebrate World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

Date:   Sunday 26 July, .  

Time:  Anointing at 2:30pm.   Mass at 3:00pm followed by a rosary procession, (weather permitting)

Main celebrant:  Archbishop Eamon Martin.

Inner Healing Retreat, Renmore, July 2026

Ruach Catholic Ministry are sponsoring a short Inner Healing Retreat in Renmore in July.

Leader:   Fr. Prince Clarence SJ

Date: Friday 10 July 2026

Time:      4pm - 8pm

Location: St. Oliver Plunkett Church, Renmore, Galway, H91 PX95

The evening will present faith formation based on the teachings of the Catholic Church and Inner Healing Adoration. 

Programme: Rosary, Talk, Holy Mass, Inner Healing Adoration. 

Confession will be available before Holy Mass if you have not attended in the past week. 

For more information

• Phone: Dympna +353 87 2302681 or Margaret +353 87 2312066 
• Email: ruachministry5@gmail.com  

National Pilgrimage for Life

The Council for Life of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference have announced their 2nd National Pilgrimage for Life, 

This will culminate with Mass, including Anointing of the Sick at Basilica.

Date: Saturday 20 June 

Time:   Anointing at 2:30pm, Mass at 3pm, Rosay Procession afterwards

Venue:  Knock Shrine.

Main celebrant and homilist: Bishop Niall Coll

Icon Writing Retreat

St Mary's the Claddagh is hosting an icon-writing retreat

Date:   

• Saturday 20 June, 2026 8am - 6pm.  Starting with Holy Mass, and praying the Angelus at 12 and Divine Mercy chaplet at 3pm, and

• Sunday 21 June, from 9:30am - for finishing touches and varnishing, finishing with blessing the icons and Holy Mass at 12-noon.

Programme

• First-time participants will write the icon "Mother of God holding the Holy Spirit"  
• Experienced participants will choose from St Rita or the Good Shepherd .

Cost:  €80 / €90

No experience or art skills required - instruction and all materials are provided.

The process is called icon-writing,  not painting, because the end product is a sacred work, and visual theology, not just a painting. 

Spiritual patron  Fr Wojciech Szynk OP

Instructor:    Joanna Alina Stempel OVd

To enrol, or for more information,  phone Julian Drapiewski, 086 81 85 188.

Triduum in honour of St Pier Giorgio Frassati

The Dominican community at St Mary's in the Claddagh, in confunction with St Mary's Lay Dominican Fraternity and You-Fra (a Franciscan-led young-adult group) present a triduum to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of  Italian lay-Dominican and social activist, St Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925).

Dates:   

• Friday 3 July, 7:30pm - speaker Grace Murray, celebrant Fr Jacopo Pozzerle OFM
• Saturday 4 July, 7:30pm - speaker Irish-born academic and Legion of Mary member Robert Bradley, celebrant Fr Matthew Farrell OP
• Sunday 5 July, 12-noon - speaker Irish adverturer Daragh Morgan, celebrant Fr Conor McDonogh OP

Each session will start with input from the lay speaker, and be followed by Mass.

Confession will be available after each Mass.

Churches of Galway guided walking tour

The Galway Civic Trust are running a guided walking of Galway’s churches starting in summer 2026.  

The tour looks at the history, architecture, art, and spirituality preserved within the places of worship in the city (primarily the city centre).

Guide:   Dr John Jennnings

Date: from Wednesday, 10 June 2026, then every Wednesday  (possibly just for the summer season.

Time:  2 PM

Meeting point: Hall of the Red Earl, Druid Lane, Galway

Duration: Approximately 2 hours

Cost: Free, but donations to the Trust are welcome.

Bookings:  On the TickeTailor website

 

Centreing prayer day retreat - June 2026

The Benedictine Nuns at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara are hosting a Centering Prayer Day Retreat on Saturday 13 June 2026.

Centering Prayer is a method of prayer that strives to develop a relationship with God, beyond words, thoughts and emotion.   Through this silent prayer, retreatants will strive to consent to God’s presence and action in their lives.

Participants will also have opportunities to pray the Office with the Benedictine Nuns in their Monastic Church and to participate in the Eucharist.

Facilitated by Caroline Field, OblSB, and Sister Josephine Yator, OSB

No charge; donations accepted.

Register by emailing  retreats@kylemoreabbey.ie or phone +353 (0)95 52098

St Anthony's Triduum

A triduum in honour of St Anthony's will be held at the Franciscan Abbey in Galway city.

Date:  Wednesday 10 to Saturday 13 June, 2026 

Time:  10:30am and 7:30pm

Preacher: Fr Joseph Walsh, OFM

Children's Remembrance Mass

A Remembrance Mass is being held for families, relatives and friends  who have experienced the loss of a baby or child.

Date:   Sunday, 07 June 

Time:   2.30pm 

Venue:  Church of the Immaculate Conception, Oranmore, County. Galway. 

The Mass will be celebrated by Fr. John O’Halloran, Chaplain at University Hospital Galway.

The theme for 2026 is “Purity, Wisdom, Longevity”, and the guest speaker is Mary McCormack, Outreach Nurse for Children with Life Limiting Conditions. 

For further information, contact Anne McKeown on 087 4418574 or email ChildrensRememberanceCommittee@hse.ie